Space stations are critically important to the advancement of mankind and are a major step towards commercialization and colonization of space. They will provide scientists with the necessary environments to achieve revolutionary scientific and technological breakthroughs and although it is difficult to predict all the benefits civilization may derive from the exploitation of manned orbiting space stations, their most important functions are well recognized.
Over the past decade the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been working on design proposals for the first permanently manned space station, but todate no practical method has been developed for the economical construction in outer space. NASA ground rules require the space station to be compatible with existing reusable shuttle vehicles and all structures and building components must fit inside the shuttle cargo bay. The shape of the cargo bay is more or less cylindrical with a diameter of approximately 15 feet and a length of approximately 60 feet.
It is further required that the space station is of modular design so as to easily facilitate expansion of its general layout and that the delivery of modules and components to complete a space station require a minimum of shuttle trips. Another important requirement is that construction and assembly of components on site is achieved without or at least with a minimum of "space suit" work hours, as this is recognized as a hazardous, high cost activity.
More recently, NASA contemplated a large scale space program, known as the "Freedom Space Station". This program proved to be extremely costly and budget constraints have halted its development.
It is still recognized however, that if such a space station could be constructed more economically, extremely lucrative technical and scientific advancements could be realized and it would therefore be most desirous to have available a practical, cost-effective design and construction method for a full size orbiting space station.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a significantly more economical method for constructing a space station at a selected location in space than any method known in the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a pre-fabricated pod enclosure module as one of the main components for the construction and assembly of said space station.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pod enclosure module which occupies a minimum of space during its storage mode but provides a maximum usable interior volume in its deployed mode.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a pod enclosure module which includes in its layout a series of strategically located structural folds and expansion joints, designed to compensate for the contractions and expansions of pod enclosure module surface areas due to the drastic temperature changes in outer space.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a storage and deployment apparatus fitted within the cargo bay of a space shuttle craft to deliver and dispense said pod enclosure modules to and at the site location in space, and to provide a pressurized work environment for the astronauts to lock the deployed pod modules into position as part of the construction procedure.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a pod module dispensing system which uses a number of cables to guide and form a series of connected pod modules into a pre-designed shape and to provide the necessary tension to lock the pod module assembly into a solid structure.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system of delivery and assembly of all components required to substantially construct the entire enclosure of a space station and deliver all components in a minimum of trips of a space vehicle.